Jewel, Mandala, Messiah
by Eliza G
Summary: The Jumi have been saved from the threat of the jewel hunter, but their cores are now the key to another's plot. Reviews greatly appreciated. New, chapter 5.
1. Part one: Jewel / Chapter One: The secon...

Author's notes:  
===============  
  
-Heroine is used. Her name is Leora.  
-I take liberties. Sorry if any bug you ^_^;;  
-Truffle is the name of the Chocobo.  
-Please R/R and all that nice stuff. And if you have any suggestions I'm actually open to 'em.  
  
1/1/02:  
I got off my lazy butt and started writing this again. And since I'm having trouble getting the actual formatting I want, I've reformatted the chapters.  
  
=========  
  
  
The wind blew past my face and stung my cheeks red as I leaped up towards Trent's branches, trying to harvest the last of the Bumpkins and Cornflowers. Lisa, wearing a giant red scarf of mine that nearly covered her eyes, laboriously pushed the harvesting basket towards me.  
  
Pulling the scarf off of her mouth, she looked up at me with twinkling eyes. "How much longer out here?" she puffed. "It's really cold, and I'm really tired."  
  
"Not too much longer," I assured her, though I didn't really know the answer. All I knew was that I was not about to lose the last of my autumn crops to winter's first blizzard. In these parts, winter begins when it's good and ready; it doesn't feel as if it should warn me or the citizens of Domina so that we can finish up our autumn chores. Sometimes winter is so thick that when spring rolls around, I have to sweep leftover leaves from my doorstep.  
  
Since we could be stuck inside for an indefinite amount of time, I needed to make sure we'd have as much food as humanly possible. Bud and Lisa hadn't been with me last winter; they'd come in early spring. Therefore, I had two more mouths to feed, and was slightly worried.  
  
"Bombs away!" Bud shouted, shaking me out of my thoughts. I looked up, and saw him standing upon the branches. He took hold of a smaller branch for support and began to jump up and down violently. I grimaced and ran to catch hold of the vegetables that fell. I caught two Cornflowers in my right arm, but being right-handed and off-guard, I missed the Bumpkin that fell directly after.  
  
"Bud," I called, over the wind's chilling whistle. "Stop it, they'll bruise!"  
  
Bud rolled his eyes. "It's a lot faster that way, Leora," he complained.  
  
"I know, but we've got to preserve what we can. Lisa!"  
  
I turned about and saw Lisa cough into her scarf. "Comin'," she muttered, and began to shove the basket our way. As she grew closer, I noticed that her cheeks were flushed.  
  
"Lisa, do you feel all right?" I asked, furrowing my brow in concern.  
  
She shook her head, then began to cough violently.  
  
I felt her forehead and found quickly that she had a fever. "Duelle did mention a bug going around," I murmured, recalling the last trip to market I had made. "Let's get you into bed. Bud," I said, turning around, "you go get Truffle and finish getting everything here. I'm going to go take care of your sister."  
  
As we walked back around the house, I looked upward. The branches of my tree were nearly bare; they were adorned with only a few more leaves in warm colors. You could tell that winter was coming; autumn's firecracker shades of blue and orange were waning into gray and brown. I opened the door, and a gust of wind blew a pile of leaves across the doorstop.  
  
The seasons are truly one of the Mana Goddess' most marvelous creations, don't you think?  
  
When Lisa and I were inside the house, I helped her remove the oversized scarf and coat. Immediately, she began to shiver violently. "Cold," she muttered.  
  
I took her hand and led her to the fire. "Sit in the rocking chair," I instructed her. Helping her up, I noted that she'd be very comfortable; the rocking chair was human-sized and Lisa was a young elf. Taking the blanket that was draped over the back, I wrapped it around her.  
  
"Comfy?" I asked.  
  
She nodded.  
  
"I'll have to go look and see if I've got any medicine for you," I said. "I'm not exactly sure I have any, so if I don't, I'll be going into town."  
  
"But it's so late," Lisa said. "What if a storm hits?"  
  
I shrugged, and smiled. "I can't leave you hanging, Lisa. We've got to get you over whatever you've got."  
  
I walked into my kitchen and opened the cupboard. Rooting through it, I discovered jars of preserves, dried tea leaves, sealed crocks of fruit juice, and spices, but no medicine. I swore, momentarily. It was true that a blizzard could be coming; I'd lived under this tree for nearly a decade and I could smell it in the air when something was coming. The trouble was, I didn't know how far off the storm was. I'd have to get to Domina fast.  
  
Resolving myself, I wet a dishcloth in the cold running water, wrung it out, and took it to Lisa. Placing it over her forehead, I asked, "Can I get you anything?"  
  
To my surprise, she requested a book. I agreed to bring her one, as soon as I got Bud inside.  
  
I walked briskly back through the door (now that Lisa was ill I had to keep my health up) and to the orchard. Luckily, Bud was just finishing up. "Bud," I said. "Go into the kitchen and brew some Heart Mint Tea for your sister; make a lot of it. Give her a cup of that, and then give her some water to drink until she gets too cold, then give her more tea. Make sure the compress on her forehead is always cold. I'm going to Domina to get more medicine."  
  
Bud blinked at me, but nodded and ran towards the house. He knew better than to disagree when I took that tone. I lifted up the basket of produce and brought it inside with me. I dropped that inside the door, then ducked into the library. For Lisa to read, I selected a volume of stories that had been passed down through the priests of Wendel while the city still existed. It was a thick tome, and I was sure it would keep Lisa occupied.  
  
After the book's delivery, I stepped upstairs to change my clothes. Night would fall soon and it would be even colder. I put on a flannel tunic and slacks, then topped it off with a large ice-blue overcoat. I didn't often wear this; it was inconvenient for battle, but it was warm and would do tonight's job. I left my trusted Lorimar Iron two-handed sword lying at the foot of my bed. I simply picked up my moneybag and left the house.  
  
I ran most of the way to Domina, seeing as the sun was fast receding and I wanted to finish my business there as quickly as I could. By the time I reached the entrance to the town, though, I could see my breath in front of my face.  
  
Things seemed oddly quiet. There was not a single sound coming from the pub to my right, which was usually a busy place at this time of night. Instead, I heard a faint buzzing coming from the marketplace.  
  
Since the apothecary was that way, I headed towards the source of the noise. On the way there, I saw a figure coming down the darkened roads. Immediately, I recognized him as Duelle, Domina's own Onion Warrior.  
  
"Good evening, Leora," he said, obviously trying to disguise the sour tones in his voice (they got through anyway).  
  
"What's going on?" I asked, jerking my head towards the large crowd so that he'd know what I was talking about.  
  
Duelle huffed. "A group of women stormed into Domina today, claiming they could tell fortunes and that they had miracle medicines and whatnot. A crock of bull! Shoved Meimei right off of her turf and some are already starting to doubt the apothecary."  
  
"Is that still open?" I asked.  
  
"Yes," Duelle told me, still fuming, "but good luck getting through to it."  
  
I sighed. "Lisa's gone ill and I need to get some things for her. Is there any way I could sneak through there?"  
  
"You can try," Duelle said pessimistically, "but don't say you weren't warned. I wouldn't trust that lot. Their leader is suspicious looking; so are those harpy-women she's got with her."  
  
Harpies? I knew for a fact that harpies were not native to our area. We lived too far south; this land was home to their cousins the sirens. Perhaps our winters would not be so hostile to them, but even so… I felt a bit of foreboding. I read quite a lot, you see, and there are old tales that describe the creatures as purely wicked, constantly flocking and looking for a leader to help them carry out one deed or another.  
  
I crept towards the crowds, trying to be able to see but still stand in the back. I didn't want to be noticed. When I was finally able to see, I saw that a huge bonfire had been erected in the center of the marketplace. Four women-they did look to be harpies-were dancing about it in an erratic fashion; in the center, just before the fire, stood a fifth woman.  
  
To say the least, she looked very unworldly. She looked older than I was, but stood about the same height. Her skin was no shade I'd ever seen; it was indigo, and her flesh (of which much was exposed) was covered in intricate tattoos of pentacles and vines and other things that I couldn't recognize. A cap of short, sleek black hair covered her scalp, and this was adorned with a tiara of hanging beads. In each elfin ear she wore three earrings; two pearls and one large pentacle. Her fingers did not end in nails, rather, they thinned out into nasty-looking claws.  
  
As I gazed upon this spectacle in a combination of awe and fright, I noticed yet another woman. She began to play music for the dancers on an ocarina; I couldn't see her face, only her forest-green cloak. Notably, her cloak seemed to have a purple fastener about the collarbone. I couldn't tell from so far away, though.  
  
Once the music began, the dancing changed. The indigo-skinned woman produced a thin book and, to my surprise, began to sing in a strong soprano voice:  
  
  
  
"Singing of the coming dawn  
  
A bejeweled carriage drawn  
  
By three angels, all abreast  
  
Singing that you cannot rest,  
  
It comes to us all, glowing bright  
  
Casting off all earthly delight  
  
And when the moon's shadow's cast,  
  
The future shan't know now from past,  
  
And the Mandala shall revolve. 


	2. Chapter Two: It's in the cards

When the woman finished her song, the whole crowd stood, transfixed. I myself was puzzling over its meaning. There was something about it that truly bothered me, deep down. Angels drawing a jewel-encrusted carriage that brought light… somehow, it sounded familiar, and I wasn't liking the meaning.   
  
Hoping that the song was finished, I crept along the edges of the crowd, hoping to get into the apothecary. I honestly couldn't waste my time here; Lisa was at home and ill, needing medicine.   
  
I was nearly there when the woman began to speak. Her voice surprised me; she sang so high but her speaking voice was low and husky, and she had an accent I couldn't place.   
  
"My friends, citizens of Domina," she began. "All of you should give thanks that we were told to come to you. We have been chosen by a higher power who exists on a plane above our own…he is too pure for this world. Each of us has been bestowed the supreme knowledge of our universe; we know the past, present, and future as one. If you wish, we can read your fortune in the cards. If you wish, we can make you more desirable a creature. If you wish, we can save the life of a loved one on the brink of death."   
  
Murmurs ran throughout the crowd. I froze, but when I heard voices muttering that it was all an act, I relaxed and crept back around and finally made it to the apothecary.   
  
The place was completely empty, save for the shopkeeper, who was dozing. I rang the little bell near the door and he awoke with a start. The little old man adjusted his glasses, embarrassed, and asked me "What can I do for you?"   
  
"Lisa, my elf apprentice, has got a horrible fever and chills," I explained. "She's also been coughing up a storm."   
  
"Yes, yes," the shopkeeper said. "It's been going around. I've seen a couple of other cases this week. You'll want this-" he took down a corked flask of a bubbling green liquid-"for the cough. It'll clear her throat and sinuses. This," he continued, putting down a thin bottle of clear fluid, "will bring down her fever. Be careful with the dosage. That medicine's enchanted, and an overdose will just worsen the chills."   
  
"Enchanted with Undine, huh?" I marveled, studying the bottles. Evidently, medicine had advanced since I'd needed any. I rarely get sick.   
  
"Indeed," the man said, nodding. I paid him 200 Luc and he placed the items into a bag. "I thank you for your business. Those women out there have been spreading rumors about me. If Reverend Nouvelle were here, he'd put a stop to it, but…" he trailed off, and sighed.   
  
I nodded. "I understand. I'm sure they won't ruin you," I assured him. "Not everyone is stupid enough to believe that sort of thing."   
  
I left the apothecary in a much better mood, and was prepared to sneak back around the crowd, when I saw a familiar figure in the middle of the circle.   
  
Teapo, the Dove, was situated on the ground across from the strange woman, and was engaged in a conversation with her.   
  
"You mean to tell me," Teapo was saying, "that these 'ere cards can tell you everything about me, wot?"   
  
The woman nodded. "Indeed they can, Teapo. Just give me the word and Alessa will bring me the enchanted cards."   
  
The green-cloaked figure seemed to nod, but since her cloak covered her head, I couldn't tell. The cape's clasp, glinting green in the moonlight, shone eerily.   
  
"Well, then," Teapo said. "Let's see you prove that it's not all a bunch of rubbish, eh?"   
  
I couldn't help myself. People do say I'm pretty nosy, but I couldn't help it when I cried out, "Don't listen, Teapo! Just ignore them! There's no truth in what they're saying!"   
  
There was a sort of hush, and I fell back, embarrassed. I saw the indigo woman moving towards me, and the crowd parted so that she could see me.   
  
"What did you say?" she asked calmly.   
  
"I said," I replied hotly, "that there's no truth in such things. There's no higher power that would let you do this."   
  
She smiled at me, surprising me even more. "I am Ianthe," she said, taking my hand in her own (her hands were colder than ice!). "Your name?"   
  
"What does my name mean to you?" I asked her evenly.   
  
"Oh, go'n, Leora," Teapo said. "Tell 'er wot you really think, eh?"   
  
I pursed my lips, willing myself not to yell at her for answering the very question.   
  
"Leora, then," Ianthe said to me. "If you protest our reading of your Dove friend Teapo, perhaps you would allow us to look at your cards instead. That way, you would see that what we say is true, and then Teapo could have her reading."   
  
I shook my head. "I've got to go, my apprentice is ill-"   
  
"Then let's read your cards and then we'll give you some medicine for your apprentice."   
  
"I've already got-"I protested.   
  
"Come now, Leora," she said. Something about her voice made me relent and obey. I walked into the circle, looking about and glaring at all the citizens giving me questionable glances. I flopped down on the ground, and Alessa, the woman in green, brought over a small wooden box. Ianthe accepted it, and opened it.   
  
"There are thirty-six cards in our deck," she said. "I deal out nine of them and they shall tell me all about you." She began to shuffle the cards. "You must realize," she said, "that I do not choose the cards. They shall choose you."   
  
"Just get on with it," I told her. "My apprentice has a fever."   
  
"Dione," Ianthe said. One of the harpies stood at attention. "Bring some medicine while I read Leora's cards."   
  
I did not believe in this for one second. I'd seen the cards before, but there was no way these people had the means of reading them. Only the highest positions in the Churches of Mana had such power. It was not commonly practiced anymore, however, for people had decided it was best not to know their future.   
  
"There are eight spirit cards," Ianthe was explaining. "seven deadly sins, six lands, five jewels, four seasons, three angels, two orbs-night and day-and then there is the Mandala card. Rarely does one find that card in her reading."   
  
"Lovely," I said dryly.   
  
Ianthe dealt out nine cards face down in a row. Her snake-like eyes met mine and I suppressed a shiver. I could not let her know that I felt afraid of her and what she was doing.   
  
Calmly, she flipped over the first card.   
  
"You have the ocean, here," she said. "Your horizons are far and wide." She flipped the next card. "And here is summer. You're in your prime. You're a great warrior."   
  
I try to be modest, but honestly, you can tell that much by looking at me. I keep in shape.   
  
The next card was the lake and then the mountain-I thought things through before I did anything and would go to great heights to achieve-but the next two cards brought me around.   
  
She flipped two of the jewel cards, and they came up as Lapis Lazuli and Pearl.   
  
Those cards hit home. I had not seen my Jumi friends for awhile, but I still thought of Elazul and Pearl constantly. We'd had a great adventure, though it had been filled with peril and sadness most of the way. I have recorded that time as well, if you, dear reader, are interested.   
  
"Lapis and Pearl," murmured Ianthe. "Yes, I see… you truly might be…"   
  
Her voice had grown different; softer. I shuddered, not wanting to know what was going through her mind.   
  
"Look," I said, standing up, "I have to go. I've had enough."   
  
Ianthe blinked. "If you cannot believe, I cannot make you. May the Underworld have mercy on you when you have expired."   
  
I rolled my eyes. The harpy who had been called for medicine stepped out of the band's carriage holding a bag. Alessa, the woman who'd brought the cards, took the bag from her.   
  
I saw her slip something else in there. My eyes are some of the sharpest around. I accepted the present politely, then stomped away, refusing to look at those last two cards. Sure, I was acting brave, but actually, I was terrified. If the cards were correct about me, I didn't want to see the rest. On the way home, I managed to convince myself that the cards could be correct while Ianthe was a fraud. Talking about a higher deity, and a male one at that. We all know of the Mana Goddess, as she has been known to show herself to certain individuals, and almost everyone can use the magic through her mana spirits.   
  
When I had almost reached home, the woman Alessa came back into my mind. She seemed nothing but a green cloak and a purple cape clasp.   
  
Purple? Wait a minute, I had seen it green, and clearly. I had great faith in my memories, and I was sure. Oh, well, perhaps her cape clasp had been made of Alexandrite. I had experience with that gem.   
  
I would have dived deeper into these thoughts, but thoughts of Lisa reminded me to run the rest of the way home.   
  
She and Bud were snoozing by the fireplace. I woke Bud, sent him to bed, then carried Lisa to her own bed. She stirred in my arms and awoke.   
  
"You're back," she muttered, and coughed.   
  
"Yes," I said. "Here." I took the medicine out of the bag, and got her cup from the bedside table. Pouring a splash of the fever reducer into it, I told her to drink it.   
  
Lisa obeyed and choked it down. It couldn't have tasted very good. "It's cold," she said, shivering.   
  
"I know," I replied, "but it'll help your fever. Now take this." I poured a splash of the other medicine into her cup, and she downed that obediently.   
  
"Weird," she said, after finishing.   
  
"I know," I said. "Now lie down."   
  
I piled blankets on Lisa. Once she was asleep, I retreated to my own bedroom. I undressed, took the pipes out of my hair, and sat down on the bed. Only then did I remember the bag with the second medicine in it. I ran downstairs to get it.   
  
I opened the bag on my bed, and pulled out the bottle. It was strange in shape, with a twisted neck. The glass was a dark jade, and the bottle was corked. I undid this and took a smell of the medicine.   
  
I staggered backwards and nearly spilled the contents upon my bed. It was so strong that my nose was tingling with sharp pain. Once I recovered, I replaced the cork and put the medicine back into the bag. My fingers brushed against something else in there, and I pulled it out.   
  
The shock from what I found was almost as bad as it had been from the medicine.   
  
All it was, really, was a piece of stationery, containing a hastily scrawled message: "This is not medicine, it is a hallucinogen."   
  
It wasn't the message that shocked me; I didn't trust Ianthe and her crowd to begin with. No, it was the stationery that bothered me. I'd seen it before many times.   
  
The first time I'd seen it, I had been in the Tower of Leires with Pearl, my Jumi friend. Just as we were about to leave that horrible place (don't argue differently, it's full of vampires!) a note had dropped down from the ceiling.   
  
When I had been in Geo, protecting a Jumi as my own guardian, a note had come for her, too. Every note had been exactly the same. Beige parchment stationery, with a deep copper gild border, and a death threat.   
  
The note I had just received was definitely not a death threat, but the last one I'd seen hadn't been either, it had read "Take care of Florina for me."   
  
That cape clasp hadn't been a clasp at all-it had been a Jumi core.   
  
Alessa was Alexandra, alias Sandra the jewel hunter. I knew that she was alive, but I never thought that I'd see her again.   
  
Evidently, though, I had.   
  
And she was warning me.   
  
=======================  
questions, comments? Review or mail me (manaangel@mana-berries.net) 


	3. Chapter Three: Lisa

I couldn't sleep.  
  
The thoughts of the evening were milling about in my head, and being quite noisy as they did. Somehow, a group of cultists (for they certainly seemed so to me) had found themselves a niche in Domina, and some people seemed convinced of their powers.  
  
Of course, the fact that Alexandra was with them perturbed me much more than that. I did not know what to do. It seemed reasonable to run to the Jumi at first, but what would it truly accomplish? They knew that Alexandra was alive. Her core had been the very last consumed by Lord Jewels. Since Pearl's had been just before that, and she was fine, it was only logical.  
  
I turned over in bed, knowing full well that I was thinking too much. I wished that I could send a letter to Elazul and Pearl, but they didn't do mail over in the Bejeweled City. I supposed I would have to go over there myself.  
  
I sat up, threw off my covers, and lit a candle next to my bed. Reaching for the sack on my dresser, I pulled out the note once more. "This is not medicine; it is a hallucinogen." I felt a pit in my stomach just reading that, and the feelings rushed back. Why would anyone want to give me fake medicine to give to Lisa? So that she would "see visions" and join them?  
  
Lisa.  
  
I went downstairs and poured some of the real medicine into a glass. I filled another with cold water, and snuck down into the twins' room. Lisa lay wide awake; I wouldn't have been able to sleep in her condition either. She tried to smile as I sat her up and had her drink the medicine.  
  
"Do you feel any better?" I asked.  
  
Lisa coughed. "Maybe a little," she told me, then coughed some more. "Maybe not," she added, weakly.  
  
I sighed, cradling her in my arms. "I don't know what I'm going to do. Something has come up, and I've got to leave, but I've got to take you with me then, don't I?"  
  
"I guess," Lisa said. "Bud and I will be okay-" she coughed more.  
  
"Drink this water," I ordered, hastily. "I don't want to leave you two here; I have my reasons." Absentmindedly, I pushed Lisa's long purple hair (not secured in a ponytail at the moment) back behind her ears.  
  
"I'll be all right if you have to take us somewhere," Lisa said. "I promise."  
  
"It's far," I told her. "To the Bejeweled City."  
  
"S'ok," Lisa murmured, lying her head down. I dipped her towel in cold water, wrung it out, and put it back on her forehead. Was her fever coming down? Hopefully it would by morning.  
  
I went back upstairs. Though it was still just the wee hours of the morning, I put my hair up and got dressed for the day. It would be a long while before I slept again with all the work I had to do.  
  
Walking outside, I was met with a chilling breeze. Walking to the monster corral, I pulled my little cart out from behind the barn. Normally I use it for short trips to Domina on market days, but I couldn't make Lisa walk all the way in her condition-even if walking was more efficient.  
  
Truffle wakes up early, but he was still asleep when I peeked into the barn. Instead of hitching him up, I went back into the house and got three blankets and a pillow from one of my trunks. I lined the cart's bottom with the fluffiest and most substantial blanket, then made a bed for Lisa out of the pillow and other two. I tested it myself; it was definitely comfortable.  
  
My cart has three sections on it-a large section (where I put the bedding for Lisa), the seat for the drivers, and a small compartment behind it, usually reserved for the more fragile goods. In this case, everything that I was taking with me went in there. I lay my trusted sword on the bottom, and packed a few honey onions and loaves of bread. Along with some apricat preserves, that would serve as breakfast… for lunch and dinner (if we needed it) I packed cold fish meat. I also packed a frying pan and my little SalaFlute (it's a very weak magical instrument-I don't fight with it, I just use it to build fires) so that we would have warm meals. Finally, I remembered to hook my lantern onto its spot on the cart.  
  
After all that work, I finally felt so tired that I retreated back to my room and actually slept for a few hours. It was seven in the morning when I awoke again. I was glad to see I felt perfectly rested, and glad to hear Bud moving around downstairs.  
  
He was brewing tea on the stove for his sister and had her medicine doses poured into two cups. "Bud, thank you," I told him. "Give this stuff to your sister now, and I'll back the rest of the tea. We're going on a journey."  
  
"What?" Bud said, looking very surprised.  
  
"I can't explain now; I'm sorry," I told him. "It is, however, of utmost importance, so please go get your things after Lisa drinks this-" I motioned to the cups on the counter "-and put them in the cart."  
  
While Bud went to get his things, I dashed upstairs and took the "medicine" in its bag with the note. Back in the kitchen, I packed up Lisa's medicine as well, and poured the tea into a crafted Salamander's Jar, or Salajar as normal people call them. (They showed up some time ago; they are just large jars made of metal with a wooden coating. There is nothing magical about them, but they do keep food warm.) I stashed these in the cart, and met Bud as he was coming out the door.  
  
"Put your stuff in the little compartment and get in the passenger's seat," I instructed. "I'm going to go get your sister."  
  
Lisa was sort of out of it when I reached her, but she wrapped her arms around my neck and allowed herself to be transported out to the cart. I dashed back in to grab a couple of things-Lisa's broom, hairbrush, and some clothes-and then I hitched Truffle up to the cart and we were off.  
  
Bud prepared breakfast for everyone by toasting the bread on the lamp, and we all ate, even Lisa. I was pleased to see that she was eating well, at least. Perhaps her illness was going away.   
  
Our ride, unfortunately, was only uneventful for the first ten minutes of it. We passed by Domina, and something, once again, was going on. I intended on riding by, but Duelle ran in front of my cart and I had to stop.  
  
"Hey, Chumpy," he said, looking distracted. "Those people are here again, and some mouse-man inspector guy was asking about you. Think you could go find him?"  
  
I sighed. "How important is this? I've really got to go. I've got a long way to travel yet, and Lisa's ill."  
  
"I'll stay with the cart," Duelle offered. "The guy insisted."  
  
I rolled my eyes, and jumped off of the cart. Walking into town, I saw that the strange visitors had gathered near the front today. Ianthe was there, singing her mandala song again. When would they learn?  
  
Ianthe finished her song, and looked about at all the townspeople. "Our magic is very strong," she began to preach, "and is much more advanced than your elemental system here. We draw our magical abilities from many sources… mana stones, ancient trees… Jumi cores…"  
  
I felt a tap on my shoulder and a painful throb through my heart the moment this was said. I whirled around, the only thought on my mind being that now I had two reasons to reach the Bejeweled City quickly.  
  
Inspector Boyd stood behind me. "Good morning," he said, the look on his face informing me that it was most certainly not a good morning. "I hate to hassle you, but the Jumi are your specialty, and we just overheard what she said. Do you think they've acquired any Jumi cores?"  
  
"I'm not sure," I told him.  
  
"That woman in the dark cloak-Alessa?-that thing on her cloak looks suspiciously like one."  
  
I gulped. Was he still after Sandra? I certainly wasn't about to incriminate Alexandra while she was evidently on my side in this particular ordeal. "Really?" I said. "I haven't noticed."  
  
"Ah!" Ianthe cried, startling us both. "It's you," she said, making her way over to me.  
  
"I don't have time for this," I said. "I have to go."  
  
"You seem to believe you're quite the heroine," Ianthe told me, coldly. The townsfolk watched with eyes that seemed eerily…hypnotized.  
  
"I just don't believe in what you're doing here," I replied. "That's all. Now if you'll excuse me…"  
  
"She does not believe!" Ianthe roared to the crowd, who seemed to stir.  
  
"What the hell is going on?" Boyd roared, throwing one of his little fits.  
  
Ianthe ignored him, and began to walk towards my cart. I ran to beat her there and sat defiantly in my driver's seat.  
  
"We have not acquired any real Jumi cores, with the exception of one," Ianthe said, quietly. "But there is a way of creating magical jewel cores, very similar to those of the Jumi. In fact, the method is called the Jumi's Curse."  
  
"What are you doing?" I growled. "Get away from my cart, everybody, before I run you all over!"  
  
Ianthe peered in over the side at Lisa for only a moment. Then she stood and faced everyone. "It is done," she said. "Unless this girl can be saved, her heart shall harden into a core for our acquisition. We shall teach the non-believers, shall we not?"  
  
The crowd cheered. They cheered! I realized then that Ianthe must be brainwashing the townsfolk. She had to be; they were all my friends and they adored Lisa, as well as her brother, Bud (who was cowering under the blankets at all the commotion)!  
  
When the crowd was gone, Alexandra suddenly appeared at my side.  
  
"You…" I whispered.  
  
"Take that girl to the Bejeweled City, quickly, and get a guardian to heal her. You've still got time, but she'll die if you don't." With that, she turned and left.  
  
"No!" I cried. "Wait!"  
  
Something came flying towards me, and I caught it. It was another note. I didn't read it just yet. I felt so full of despair.  
  
This was incredibly dangerous, but why did they have to involve Lisa? Why?  
  
==================== 


	4. Chapter Four: Arrival in Etansel

Notes: If there's anyone who's been waiting awhile to read this, I'm really sorry. I've been bad, neglecting   
my fanfics, but I've finally picked 'em up again. Enjoy.  
  
  
-----  
  
I made Truffle run a lot faster than he liked that day, and I don't believe that Bud or Lisa particularly liked the bumps… if Lisa was conscious. I had no way of knowing how aware she was; her eyes were stuck open and she was breathing, but who knew if she could hear me giving her brother terse orders.  
  
Bud was worried for his sister, but at one point in the afternoon (we were heading across the outskirts of Madora beach towards Polpota Harbor, the nearest town to Etansel, the Jumi City) he begged for me to stop so that he could relieve himself. It was then, waiting for him, that I remembered Alexandra's note.  
  
I picked it up, cautiously, and read over her neat script.  
  
"Do not inform Blackpearl that I am here."  
  
I sighed. I understood why she didn't want Blackpearl to know, but that made things a lot harder for me. I figured, though, that I could still talk to Elazul about it when I got there.   
  
Bud got back in the cart, and we drove on.  
  
"Is Lisa going to be okay?" he asked, timidly. At that point we were on the final stretch--we'd be at the Bejeweled City within the hour, but it was bitter cold outside and all of us were suffering from the wind. It looked like snow.  
  
"I hope so, Bud," I told him, shivering.  
  
"What happened to her?" he asked. "She's breathing so slowly."  
  
My heart lurched; was there enough time left to save Lisa? Just as the many tiers of the city came into view, it began to lightly snow. Usually a light snow like that would be considered a gift from Undine, but now I felt like she was cursing me. I swore, and drove the cart further.  
  
We finally reached the city, but I could no longer feel my hands. Shivering, I let go of Truffle's reigns, and approached the entrance. It was evening; the sun had just gone down and I could see fires burning inside the city.  
  
"Hello!" I called, best as I could. I stumbled up the first flight of stone steps, and continued to cry out, but no one came. Finally, I reached somebody's door, and knocked on it. I couldn't quite feel the door I was knocking on.  
  
The door opened slowly, and I saw a Jumi man wearing blue robes peer out at me. I recognized him vaguely--he was Mr. Sappho and the keeper of the gates.  
  
"I need a guardian," I told him, trembling from the cold. "I need a guardian right now--"  
  
"Calm down," he said, his blue eyes piercing mine. "Leora, something must be wrong for you to come out here at a time like this, but please, stay calm. Why do you need a guardian?"  
  
"Lisa, in my wagon, at the entrance," I muttered. "Please, help her."  
  
Sappho sighed. "Come in," he said, beckoning to me. Inside the large room there also sat another Jumi man. His core was golden-yellow. "Antonio," Sappho said, "Would you please fetch Elazul and Pearl? The knight-guardian pair who live on the third tier?"  
  
The Jumi Antonio looked confused, but obeyed. Sappho also left the little house, leaving me along.  
  
I stumbled over to the fireplace, where a large fire was crackling merrily. I slowly held out my stiff hands, hoping that the feeling in them would return.  
  
Mr. Sappho came back a few moments later, carrying Lisa. Bud was at his heels.  
  
"It is the Jumi's curse, is it not?" he asked.  
  
"Yes," I murmured. "I need to have a guardian look at her--and I need to talk to Elazul…"  
  
"You also need to calm down," Sappho said. "They will come, but perhaps you should sleep."  
  
"No," I protested, but I let him lead me through a tunnel and into a room with a little couch on it. I even let him give me some hot tea, and I think that pushed me over the edge. Before I knew it, I'd tumbled into a dreamless sleep.  
  
  
  
When I awoke, I became immediately aware of sunlight streaming in a window over me. I knew it must be late morning, so I sat up quickly. Then, I remembered Lisa.  
  
That thought made me jump off of the little couch completely, and storm into the next room (seemed like I was myself again). My eyes traveled around the room, but they found only one person sitting there, and he was not Bud or Mr. Sappho.  
  
He looked a bit different--his lapis--colored hair was combed much more neatly about his head and shoulders, his mantle had been washed, and the suit he wore had been replaced; it was not nearly as threadbare. A leather belt across his middle sported the sheath for a one-handed sword.  
  
"Leora," he said, smiling. "It's good to see you."  
  
Elazul.  
  
"And you," I said, feeling more cheery already. I made my way over to the seat beside him and sat down, trying to make happy conversation. "How have you been? And Pearl?"  
  
"Pearl is with Lisa," Elazul said, seeing right through my cheerful facade. "We're pretty sure she'll be all right… Diana and Florina are with her, as well."  
  
"Thank you," I murmured, hanging my head. I felt like I needed to refresh myself; my hair certainly needed to be put up again. "But I need to talk to you some more, preferably in private…"  
  
"Of course," Elazul said. "Diana and Rubens and everyone have been alerted of course." He helped me to my feet. "The Jumi's curse is a serious one, Leora…no one's known that one for thousands of years. And you arrived here in such poor condition… you were out like a light by the time Pearl and I arrived here last night."  
  
I nodded. "Where can I talk to you? I feel…so restless here…"  
  
"Let's take a walk, then," suggested Elazul.  
  
"Sure," I agreed.  
  
We began to make our way about the tiers of the city. It was still somewhat cold, so not many Jumi were outside, but the temperature was tolerable for me. "There's so much to tell," I said.  
  
"Take your time," Elazul said. "When you're done, we'll go see Lisa and Pearl."  
  
"Right," I said, my voice trailing off. "I suppose it all began when Lisa fell ill… she caught a sort of flu or cold, and I went to buy some medicine for her. When I got to Domina…there was a strange group of people there… they'd made a fire in the market square."  
  
"Describe them," Elazul prompted me.  
  
"There were some harpies--five or six," I said, "I don't remember, and there was a woman in a green cloak with her face hidden… and then there was their leader. She had skin… well, it was purple! It wasn't a natural shade around here!" Elazul seemed to stiffen a bit, but I continued on. "And she sang a weird song about angels and carriages and a mandala… then she insisted on using sacred cards for me, but I walked out. The only thing is, I was trying to leave. I told them Lisa was sick, but they wouldn't listen! So they tried to give me medicine--"  
  
"Wait, slow down," Elazul said to me, seriously. "Let me make sure I took that in correctly. There were harpies, and a woman in a cloak, and a violet-skinned woman as their leader, correct?"  
  
I nodded.  
  
"And they read your cards, and gave you medicine?"  
  
I nodded again.  
  
Elazul pursed his lips.  
  
"What's wrong?" I asked.  
  
"Nothing," he said, but I knew he was lying. "Continue."  
  
"It's not nothing," I protested.  
  
"It can wait, then," he said. "I need you to tell me the rest."  
  
"Right…" I said. "They gave me the medicine, but the lady in the green cloak slipped something in the bag before I left. So I went home and gave Lisa her medicine--"  
  
"You administered it!?" Elazul thundered.  
  
"Oh! No! I'm sorry, I bought her normal medicine and gave her that."  
  
Elazul relaxed.  
  
"But then," I continued, "I went upstairs into my room, and took the medicine out of the bag… and I smelled it and it nearly knocked me out! So I pulled the card out of the bag…"  
  
"And..?" he prompted me.  
  
"It read, 'this isn't medicine, it's a hallucinogen.'"  
  
"Well, I thought as much," Elazul said.  
  
"What do you know about them that I don't?" I asked.  
  
"Not much," he said. "You'd better ask Rubens. Anyway, is there anything else?"  
  
"Yes," I said, "but--you can't tell Pearl. At least not yet."  
  
"Why?" Elazul asked, narrowing his eyes.  
  
"The piece of paper that was in the bag… it was on very familiar stationery."  
  
"That being?" Elazul asked, growing impatient with the way I was hedging around the topic.  
  
"It was parchment…with…" I swallowed, and just said it. "It was Sandra's stationery. She warned me." 


	5. Chapter Five: Questions

Elazul gaped at me. Obviously, he'd never expected to hear from her again, but that wasn't the whole of it. He knew something about this group of people, and hearing that Sandra was among them and giving out warnings to people who happened to pick up their medicine must have been a very shocking discovery.  
  
"I think she's on our side," I said quietly.  
  
Elazul simply tightened his pursed lips more. "When will we really have peace?" he asked, quietly, looking at the sky.  
  
"What?" I asked, catching his words but absentmindedly asking him anyway.  
  
He looked at me. "I've never known a time of peace in my life," he said. "I was born during the age of Jumi-hunting, I lived through the war with Deathbringer, and I was knighted at about the same time we became aware of Sandra's existence. That time in the desert that Blackpearl told us about… it was the last time anyone saw either of them. Pearl became my guardian, and Alexandra became the jewel hunter full-time. These past couple of months have been the most peaceful I've known."  
  
I remained silent, not sure what to say. I didn't know what it was like to live like that… it seemed that most of what I had known was my peaceful world under my tree. I felt the proverbial brick hit me in the head with the fact that I didn't know pain and suffering nearly as much as he did.  
  
Elazul immediately sensed my discomfort. "I'm sorry," he apologized.  
  
"Don't worry about it," I mumbled.  
  
The air suddenly full of awkward silence, we hurried up the remaining tiers to the throne room of the Clarius--Florina.  
  
"Quiet when we enter," Elazul whispered. "They might not quite be finished with Lisa."  
  
I felt my stomach grow uncomfortable; I trusted the Jumi, but I was so worried about Lisa, what had happened to her, and who was responsible.  
  
We swung the doors open, and Elazul pointed to a bench near the door, where we both sat down.  
  
The room was deadly quiet. I saw that Florina had moved from her cushioned throne and was standing beside Diana, the Jumi's leader. Pearl, my dear friend and the Jumi guardian, was leaning over Lisa, murmuring in her soft voice and obviously performing some kind of ritual that only the ancient Jumi would know.  
  
Pearl's voice made me feel a bit better. It had been awhile since I'd heard it, and it brought back memories… not all of them were good memories (Pearl had been killed by Sandra when I'd thought she'd be safe, and it was only the fact that all the Jumi were alive again that had saved my mental sanity. After all, they had asked me to choose.), but Pearl and I had had some real adventures together, all right. I'd never forget the ordeal in the Tower of Leires…  
  
Her voice stopped, and I snapped out of my reminiscing. I looked up, and saw her smiling face. "Lisa will be fine," she said, her voice as soft as I remembered it. She looked tired.  
  
"Pearl…" I began. "You don't know how grateful I--"  
  
"After all you have done for us, Leora," she told me, "It's nothing. Really." She sat down beside me. "Though that was a particularly complicated version of the Jumi's curse performed on her. It took all three of us this long to crack it."  
  
"Did you sleep?" I asked, alarmed. If anyone should have had to stay awake, it should have been me.  
  
"In shifts," Pearl said. "We're fine." She paused, then said, "But it's been so long, Leora! How have you been doing?"  
  
I forced a smile. "Well, up until two days ago, great."  
  
Her expression grew serious. "Yes, I heard from Bud."  
  
"Would you believe he's still asleep in the room we gave him?" Elazul asked. "He was so restless last night that he stayed up, pacing, and telling anyone who would listen about what happened to his sister?"  
  
"He seemed pretty upbeat during the brief time I saw him," Pearl said, "but I could tell he really was worried about Lisa."  
  
I nodded. "So much has happened the past few days… we all need to talk." I looked around. "Somewhere else, if you please," I added, a bit uncomfortable. I cast a glance at Florina and Diana, who were deep in hushed conversation at the other end of the room.  
  
We all stood up, and Pearl spoke. "Now is not the best of times…" Elazul nodded, agreeing with her silently. "It's been a long night;" she continued, "we're all tired and stressed, and we could both do with refreshing ourselves." She met my eyes and smiled.  
  
"I certainly could use it," I admitted. "I need to unwind. Yesterday was nothing but stress, piled upon stress."  
  
"Then," Pearl said, "please let me lead you to a place you can stay. They didn't want to move you last night, but you may stay in the same housing unit where we've got Bud. You can freshen up there."  
  
"Then," Elazul said. "Why don't we meet on the terrace in front of there in an hour?"  
  
"Sounds good," I told him.  
  
"Indeed," Pearl agreed.  
  
Pearl led me to the little cave-house, and I shut myself in its little bathroom. The bathtub was nothing more than a fountain, continuously pouring lukewarm water into its base in an endless cycle, but I found it strangely euphoric. I undid my hair and bathed quickly, scrubbing myself with the rough cloth that I found there. I then massaged soap throughout my hair and rinsed it, then stepped out, dried off, wrapped the provided robe around myself, and re-combed my hair. Once it was fairly dry, I put it back up and dressed myself again.  
  
I had not taken the full hour we had agreed on, so I explored the rest of the little house. Bud was asleep in one tiny bedroom (with two twin beds) and there was one other room that was unoccupied. I found that someone had brought all my things into that room, so I took the opportunity to change into some clean clothing, then dug through my packed bag until I found the diary I nearly always kept. I then exited the house, and found the terrace that had been the appointed meeting place.  
  
Snow was now gently falling, but it was not as cold as it had been, and the flakes lying upon the bejeweled road was a truly beautiful sight. I sat down on one of three ceramic benches around a small table of the same material, and a particularly large emerald glinted at me.  
  
I opened my little diary, and with a pen I had pocketed, began to write. I described in detail yesterday's journey on the road, and how worried I'd been about Lisa, and though I was scared for her, how nice it was to see Elazul and Pearl again.  
  
I had just began to describe my current surroundings when Elazul showed up.  
  
"You're early," I commented.  
  
"Not as early as you," he said, taking a seat. "Listen, Leora… when Pearl gets here, I think I should tell her about Sandra."  
  
"But--" I began to protest.  
  
"Blackpearl isn't going to be as hostile towards Sandra as you think," Elazul told me. "Now, looking back on it, she recognizes that Sandra was only trying to help, in her own way. And if I tell her, you won't be breaking your word, right?"  
  
"I suppose not…" I said, letting my eyes trail off to the sky. Was all of the fighting going to start up again? Would there ever be peace for these people? They had no chance of survival if, every time a threat to them was defeated, a new one emerged…  
  
"You look worried," Elazul said, concerned. "More than you did before."  
  
"What's going to happen to the Jumi?" I sighed. "Are you all going to die out?"  
  
"I hope not," Elazul murmured. "We haven't even had much of a chance to preserve our lineage yet."  
  
I figured he meant the Jumi having babies, but since we were here to talk about more serious things, I suppressed my sudden urge to start teasing him about Pearl.  
  
"I won't let you die off," I told him.  
  
"It worked last time," Elazul murmured. "Most of the Jumi who never met you face-to-face before I met you nearly worship you. They sometimes refer to you as the savior."  
  
"Savior?" I laughed. "Me? I'm just nosy."  
  
"Yeah," Elazul said, cracking a smile, "you are pretty nosy."  
  
We both laughed a little bit.  
  
"Hello," called a voice. We looked up, and saw Pearl approaching. She sat down on the remaining bench and smiled softly. "If you're ready, then, Leora, I hope you'll relate your story to me?"  
  
"I know I mentioned Rubens earlier," Elazul said, "but don't worry about that--he was the first person to pop into my head, but I always forget about how Blackpearl might know these things, too."  
  
I nodded. "Obviously, all of this means something," I said, "but I'd appreciate it if no one interrupted me until I am finished." They nodded. I was glad; I was having enough trouble keeping my head together as it was.  
  
I cleared my throat and launched into my tale about Lisa falling ill and my going to Domina to buy her medicine. I described the harpies, and "Alessa," and Ianthe in detail, and how they'd tried to read my cards, but I'd walked away. I didn't mention, however, what had been in the cards. I then elaborated on how they'd given me hallucinogen for medicine--but I didn't mention who had told me exactly what it was. I then told them how I'd packed up the cart to leave for the Jumi city, and how Ianthe had put the Jumi's curse on Lisa, and I'd rushed here.  
  
"And that's it," I said. "That's basically what happened."  
  
"Basically," Pearl said, kindly but seriously, "but Leora, I know there's a hole in your story--for what reason would you need to come here so urgently before Lisa was cursed?"  
  
I wet my lips, nervously. I didn't really know what was going on or why Sandra was with them, but she'd told me not to tell Blackpearl… and Blackpearl and Pearl were now one and the same--Elazul's sweet guardian with the handy power to transform into a frightening-looking woman with one mean hammer… but Elazul said that Blackpearl would not be hostile towards Alexandra…  
  
"I'll explain," Elazul said. "That way, you won't be breaking your word."  
  
I nodded, dumbly. "Sure," I muttered.  
  
"Their Piper," Elazul said slowly, "seems to be a spy for our side, even though this little war has yet to break out."  
  
"Yes," Pearl said, motioning for him to continue.  
  
"Leora is sure--and I trust her--that it's Alexandra." 


	6. Chapter Six: Discussion

To anyone still following this I apologize again for how long it takes me between chapters ^_^;; I   
realize this may be too little too late, but I promise that it's going to pick up by Chapter Eight   
and become much more interesting!  
  
--Eliza  
  
=================  
  
  
Pearl opened her mouth and replied, "I suspected as much."  
  
"What do you mean?" I asked her.  
  
Pearl smiled. "What but a Jumi could drive you to want to come here so urgently? And who is the only Jumi not living in the Bejeweled City?"  
  
I smiled. "You've got me there," I told her. "But how do you know there aren't others?"  
  
"Sandra would have seen to them," she said simply, and grew quiet. I sensed that I had said the wrong thing.  
  
"Pearl," Elazul said, breaking the silence, "I don't think that Leora knows about the Order of Jewels. In fact, I don't know much myself. Only what my foster father told me, a long time ago…"  
  
Elazul looked wistful.  
  
"Foster father?" I asked, against my better judgement. Stupid me; I really should have known better by then than to pry into the past of a Jumi.  
  
"My parents were taken by jewelers," Elazul explained, "so I lived with a foster father. He was taken by Deathbringer's army, though…"  
  
"I shouldn't have asked," I told him. "You know, both of you may feel free to tell me something's none of my business."  
  
"Why should we, we're pressing you for painful information, aren't we?" Elazul said, lightly. I noticed that even though he wasn't happy about this, he was a much more cheerful person than he'd been when I'd met him.  
  
"It's not quite the same thing—"  
  
"Please," Pearl said. "We've been asking you questions for some time now, with no explanation. As Elazul has suggested, I shall tell you about the Order of Jewels."  
  
As I watched her begin to tell her story, I saw less of Pearl and more of Blackpearl in her face. Even if they were truly the same person nowadays, I found it hard not to separate the two… when I'd known them, they had truly been two different entities, trapped in the same body except in the Room of Fate at Leires…  
  
But I digress…  
  
"A long time ago," Pearl said, "before my generation, even… and perhaps when Rubens and Diana were still infants, but perhaps not, there was a cult of sorts, known as the Order of Jewels."  
  
I leaned over on my elbows on the little table and let Pearl tell her story. It was almost like she was telling a fairy tale.  
  
"The Order of Jewels always claimed that they served a higher power than even our Mana Goddess, a male deity who perhaps ruled over her with an iron fist. Their rituals included strange songs, and dances, always played on an ocarina. They traveled in groups of six—there were always four Dancers—the harpies that you spoke of, no doubt—one Piper, and the Singer; the leader. She was most often a syenite elf."  
  
"Syenite…" I said. "Isn't that—"  
  
"Yes," Pearl told me, smiling brightly, her brandy-colored eyes twinkling at me. "It's an igneous stone. Blue, very pretty. We have certainly seen Jumi in the past with syene cores.  
  
"Zaffer elves—yes, it's another stone, quite similar to Elazul's core, here—sometimes joined, but from what we gathered, they were mainly against the Order… but they do not live in Fa'Diel, so we cannot be sure.  
  
"Anyhow, the Order of Jewels demanded Jumi cores to do their more magical rituals with. They tried hunting for them, and when they could not be received, they would perform a Jumi's curse on an innocent human and take their core once they died. Though these cores were artificial, they were nearly as magical. We lost quite a few Jumi to them and their strange rituals, but they disappeared when the Jumi poachers showed up a few decades later. They obviously did not want their collected cores to be stolen… perhaps they've received word that the Jumi had finally found peace and took that as their chance."  
  
As she finished her story, I watched her thoughtfully. "She—the Singer, Ianthe—seems to have the whole town of Domina under her spell. I suppose we cannot just storm in and fight them."  
  
"Or maybe we can," Elazul said gruffly, "and get it over with quick as possible. They'll be afraid of Lady Blackpearl, won't they?" he looked at his partner, meaningfully.  
  
"That is possible," Pearl said, seriously, "but Elazul, I am your guardian. I have no wishes for my duties as a Jumi but to protect you in battles."  
  
Elazul smiled at her, and for a wild moment, I almost expected to say something to each other. Those two are—trust me—crazy about each other, but neither of them has ever said anything. I think Elazul's still kind of scared of Blackpearl, and Pearl's too shy.  
  
"Could we go in without Blackpearl?" I asked, thoughtfully. "We may end up needing a guardian on our side… especially if we just storm their headquarters."  
  
"I agree," Pearl said, "but Leora, you have no guardian…"  
  
"Esmeralda?" I asked.  
  
"She's pursuing knighthood, like she wanted to," Elazul said.  
  
"Well, then," I said, "perhaps Bud could act as a guardian… of course, he doesn't know the first thing about healing…"  
  
"You're not a Jumi," Pearl said. "With the right type of magical instruments, you could be healed. Perhaps I should act as guardian for both of you..? Leora, I know you could craft an instrument for healing."  
  
"With the right books and materials, sure," I said. "but I don't want you to have to be a guardian for both of us…"  
  
"Humans fight differently than the Jumi, Pearl," Elazul reminded her. "Leora could be her own guardian if she needed to."  
  
I nodded. "I've never really fought with magic before, but I suppose it could be done."  
  
"Then it is settled," Elazul said, standing up quickly. "We will leave for Domina soon, then. There isn't a lot of time to waste."  
  
I stood, as well. "I agree," I told him. "I cannot let the Jumi die…" I murmured.  
  
"Don't worry about us, Leora," Pearl told me softly, her large brown eyes focused on me. She smiled wanly. "This time, we Jumi will protect ourselves. Never again will our society implode on itself."  
  
I grinned at Pearl. She was so different from when I'd first met her, yet still so lovable. "Either way, Pearl," I said, "I've got to get back at the people who involved Lisa in such a thing."  
  
"You love Lisa as your daughter," Pearl smiled. "I understand."  
  
I cocked my head at her, curious. "I love Lisa," I said, "but I'm not exactly the motherly type."  
  
Pearl laughed, then. "Well, there are all sorts of people in this world and whichever way you look at yourself, Leora, you are an asset." She then bowed. "I hope you two will excuse me. I have to meet with Diana and Rubens now, to discuss our plans."  
  
Pearl walked away from Elazul and I, and we began to stroll down another way, back to the place where I was staying.  
  
"Lisa should be all right in the morning, then," I said, hoping to spark conversation.  
  
Elazul, however, didn't reply right away. "She's changed," he said. I knew immediately it was Pearl he meant, and not Lisa.  
  
"Yes," I agreed.  
  
Elazul continued to look deep in thought. "It's very hard to get used to," he said, finally. I tried to read his face; it was difficult.  
  
Suddenly, I laughed merrily. "Elazul, you've changed some, too, since I met you."  
  
He looked at me with surprised azure eyes. "Have I?"  
  
"You used to be so cold," I said, "to everyone. You even used to boss Pearl around all the time… you liked to seem superior to strangers. You're different now, though. You've become more sociable."  
  
"I've stopped threatening to kill people, too," he said, a slight air in his voice. "However, if things go as I'm afraid they will, that could change. And," he continued, "I will never forgive anyone who is responsible for any harm done to Pearl."  
  
I briefly remembered the time when, in Leires, he had threatened to kill me if I let anything happen to her.  
  
"You… care greatly for Pearl," I said, hoping to provoke a response out of him. I'd forgotten to stop myself from being nosy.  
  
"She is my guardian," Elazul said simply. And then, he left me abruptly as I stood outside the door of my temporary quarters. 


End file.
